Texas woman who killed neighbour to die in rare execution

AUSTIN, Texas (REUTERS) - Kimberly McCarthy is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection in Texas on Tuesday, the first woman to be put to death in the United States (US) in more than two years, for the stabbing murder of her neighbour in 1997.

Women are rarely executed in the US. Only 12 female inmates were put to death since capital punishment was reinstated by the Supreme Court in 1976, according to the Death Penalty Information Centre.

The last woman executed was Teresa Lewis in Virginia on Sept 23, 2010, the information centre said.

"Although women commit about 10 per cent of murders, capital cases also require some aggravating factor like rape, robbery, or physical abuse," said Mr Richard Dieter, executive director of the information centre, adding that women usually have not committed a long list of prior felonies.